


The Outcast

by Sarek and Amanda Archive Maintainer (Selek)



Series: Treasured Memories [6]
Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Ster Julie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 12:04:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/735420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selek/pseuds/Sarek%20and%20Amanda%20Archive%20Maintainer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spock has kept treasures all through his life. What do they mean?</p><p>Written by Ster Julie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Outcast

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Text bracketed by / indicate flashbacks. Text bracketed by / indicates thought-speech.

ooOoo—

Orientation was over. Spock entered the dormitory for first year cadets and found that only half of his belongings had been delivered to his room. His satchel had been searched and only the clothing and toiletries remained.

/If you do this, if you pursue this illogical dream, you will be cut off from the family. You will be no son of mine/

Spock looked around his room. His box was nowhere to be seen.

/You will take nothing from here, nothing of mine. You will be cut off, cast out./

It was not under the bed, in the closet, on the desk, or hidden in a corner.

/There will be no welcome for you at our door. There will be no fresh water to slake your thirst./

Frantic, Spock concluded that it had either been stolen or confiscated.

/You will be alone. Your name will be stricken from our records./

Spock felt panic start to choke him.

/You will have no people. You will have no arms to comfort you in the night, no support in your difficulties. You will walk your path with no guidance, with no accompaniment./

"No."

/You will be vre'kasht/

"NOOOO!"

The commandant noticed a dark shadow crossing his doorway. Looking up, he found the new Vulcan cadet staring at him.

"It is customary to knock, Cadet," he glowered.

Spock raise his knuckles and rapped on the doorframe.

"Enter," the commandant replied.

"I respectfully request that my belongings be returned," Spock said without preamble.

"It is also customary to announce your rank and name and ask permission to speak," the commandant continued.

Spock blinked. He found several layers of illogic in the commandant's two statements, but this wasn't the time to bring it up.

"Cadet Spock . . ."

"And stand at attention."

Spock squared his shoulders as he was shown earlier in the day and began again.

"Cadet Spock requesting permission to speak, Sir!" /SO illogical . . ./

"Permission granted, Cadet Spock," the commandant replied.

"Sir! I respectfully request that my belongings be returned, Sir!"

"Cadet Spock," the commandant continued patiently, "you were given a list of items to bring with yourself to Starfleet Academy. A box of trinkets was not included on this list."

"Sir! They are not trinkets, Sir!" Spock noticed that his voice had raised a half-tone in pitch and 3 decibels in volume. He took a deep breath /Control/

"Are these items religious in nature?"

"Sir! They are cultural. They are important. Some of them are used in rituals. Sir!"

"Then they are religious."

"Sir! They are not, Sir!"

"A seashell, a feather. Are they totems?"

"Sir! I am unfamiliar with that word, Sir!"

All the "Sirs!" were beginning to give Spock a headache. What a way to begin his time in Starfleet!

"Are they talismans?"

"Sir! I am unfamiliar with that word as well, Sir!"

"Are they amulets, lucky charms?"

"Sir! No. They are just significant to me, Sir!"

"Why?"

Although Spock kept his eyes front and center, he ached to turn his face, hide his eyes, anything to keep the commandant of Starfleet Academy from seeing the emotion there, the tears that were beginning to gather.

"Sir!" Spock said with less force and volume. "They are all that is left to me of my people. They are the only things left that tie me to my world." The tears filled his eyes and threatened to spill. "Sir," he added belatedly.

"I don't understand."

Spock could not keep his chin from quivering. "I was pronounced vre'kasht for joining Starfleet," he whispered. "Sir."

"Vo-ray . . .?"

"Vre'kasht. Outcast."

The commandant was astounded. "You were disowned?"

"My father had my life planned out for me," Spock continued in a small voice. "Being a Starfleet officer was not part of his plans."

"So you gave up . . ."

Shameful tears marred Spock's young face. ". . . Everything."

"So that is why your parents' names are not listed on your application, why you don't have an address listed other than Vulcan."

Spock felt his cheeks, his ears flush green. "I have no home now, save Starfleet."

The commandant was shocked into silence for several moments. He pulled out his drawer and held a box out to Spock. "Here's a tissue, son."

"Thank you, Sir. May I have my box now? Sir?"

The commandant smiled gently at his new Vulcan charge. It was not his intent to make the poor boy cry on his first day at the Academy. "Certainly, Cadet Spock. I will classify the box as a container of religious items."

"But, Sir! They are not religious . . . "

"Look," the commandant interrupted, "if I were to put 'cultural items,' you would not see them for a long time, Cadet, perhaps never again. The rules are fuzzy regarding religious items, within reason, of course."

"Of course. Sir!"

"Just don't burn that incense in the dorms," the commandant concluded as he held Spock's precious box out to him. "Find somewhere outside, or better yet, find another way to use it."

Spock wiped his eyes and folded up the tissue. He took the box from the commandant and opened it, taking a quick inventory of the items it contained. There on top were the newest items, ones that Amanda had given him at the Spaceport.

/"Spock! Wait!" a woman's melodious voice called. Spock turned back to see his mother Amanda tear a length of ribbon from her clothing. She knew these robes were Spock's favorite garments on her. "Take this with you," she said tearfully. "Know that I am always with you." Spock took the ribbon from her hands, lingering his fingers on hers./

/"I know, Mother," he said gently before turning to board the shuttle for Earth that would take him to Starfleet Academy./

/"Take this, too," she said pushing a holoframe into his hands./

/Spock pushed the button and saw himself on this Bonding day 14 years earlier. He was flanked by a regal, doting Sarek and a smiling, proud Amanda./

/Amanda tapped the image of Sarek. "Remember your father this way, Spock," she said as tears filled her eyes. "Don't remember the way he was today."/

Spock touched the frame and the ribbon reverently, then placed the used tissue inside and closed the box. He snapped back to attention.

"Sir! Thank you, Sir!"

"Is there anything else, Cadet Spock?"

"Sir! No, Sir!"

"Then you are dismissed."

End story.


End file.
